If Mr. Anastasiades really does not want Turkish guarantees, then why did he reject the mechanism that abolished them?

 

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas

16 November 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The minutes published by “Fileleftheros” newspaper on the Crans Montana conference obviously do not negate the two indisputable facts that weigh on Mr. Anastasiades and his policy.

1. It remains unanswered to this day why Mr. Anastasiades rejected the well-known informal document on the implementation mechanism of the solution, which definitively abolished Turkey’s guarantee and interventionist rights. We recall that the Guterres Framework explicitly provides that the Treaty of Guarantee will be replaced by a mechanism for implementing the solution. However, when this mechanism was proposed, Mr. Anastasiades rejected its discussion, which was also confirmed by Greek Foreign Minister Mr. Kotzias and yesterday by the Government Spokesman himself. If Mr. Anastasiades really does not want Turkish guarantees, then why did he reject the mechanism that abolished them?
2. The Report of the UN Secretary General on Crans Montana exonerates Turkey the occupying power and apportions responsibility on the two communities. However, Mr. Anastasiades has never questioned it for four entire years. At a time when Mr. Anastasiades on other issues is clashing intensely with the Secretary General of the UN, why hasn’t he dared say a single word on this major issue or to even send a letter to him to set out his own version of what happened at the 2017 Conference? Either this is incompetence of an unspeakable – to a dangerous degree – incompetence, or things at the working dinner turned out differently and Mr. Anastasiades is unable to contradict those present at it. Whichever is the case, the only certainty is that Mr. Anastasiades has left the Greek Cypriot side irreparably exposed internationally.

All of these do not constitute resistance to Turkish demands, but facilitate better the Turkish plans. Furthermore, the piece-by-piece leaks to the press after four years do not rescue neither Mr. Anastasiades, nor the ruling DISY party from the judgement History will deliver.